


underneath the shooting stars

by evenskindness



Category: SKAM (TV)
Genre: Boys In Love, Even is being emotional over Isak what else is new?, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, M/M, Stargazing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-21
Updated: 2018-02-18
Packaged: 2019-02-17 19:25:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13083744
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/evenskindness/pseuds/evenskindness
Summary: Even can’t exactly pinpoint the moment he fell in love with Isak Valtersen.He just knows that it happened. Somewhere between late night talks, stupid memes, walking instead of taking a tram because that way they’d have more time to chat, friendly touches, comforting each other when life sucked the most, laughing at the most ridiculous inside jokes and friendly banter, somewhere between all that, Even just fell. And boy, it just happened like it was the easiest thing Even had ever done in his life.aka friends to lovers with stargazing





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [starslag](https://archiveofourown.org/users/starslag/gifts).



> shola ❤️ first of all i’m so sorry that i couldn’t give this to you earlier, but you know i was hella busy today and you still remembered me and were so sweet about it.
> 
> secondly, you have no idea how much i wanted this to be the best thing i’ve ever written because as i’ve said, you deserve the best and i wanted this to be perfect, but unfortunately this is the best i could deliver now
> 
> i love you so much, and when i see a shooting star i don’t need to ask for a friend who is kind, understanding, funny and sweet, because i already have one and that’s you ❤️
> 
> this is for you, my star 
> 
> also the biggest shoutout to wyonna who helped me a lot with this, i love you too!
> 
> merry christmas shola, and all the lovely people over skamfiction, i love you all very much!
> 
> (btw this is what i was writing when i missed my stop(s) aksksksj)

Even can’t exactly pinpoint the moment he fell in love with Isak Valtersen.

He just knows that it happened. Somewhere between late night talks, stupid memes, walking instead of taking a tram because that way they’d have more time to chat, friendly touches, comforting each other when life sucked the most, laughing at the most ridiculous inside jokes and friendly banter, somewhere between all that, Even just fell. And boy, it just happened like it was the easiest thing Even had ever done in his life.

So easy that it could’ve almost been like love at first sight, even though Even doesn’t quite believe in the concept, no matter how many rom-coms he’s seen and loved. It just seems a bit shallow, but with Isak though, he could’ve made and an exception.

Isak and Even met almost exactly a year ago, and Even still remembers the moment he first laid his eyes on him. Yousef had practically forced him to Sana’s birthday get-together, not that he wouldn’t have wanted to go, but it had been his first semi-good day after his latest depressive episode that had started right after he had fucked up everything and broke up with Sonja, so... yeah. He hadn’t felt fully like himself yet and struggled with getting into the right mood. He remembers leaning in the doorway of the kitchen and listening half-heartedly to Elias’ and Sana’s sisterly banter when he heard someone giggle so loudly and brightly it got his attention and he had turned around to see who it was.

And there had been Isak, sitting on the love seat of the couch and giggling at something Eva had said. Even had been immediately mesmerized by the golden curls, sparkling eyes and that bright giggle that made him feel lighter than he had in weeks. He wanted to be a part of it.

So, he walked over him and they had ended up staying there for the rest of the night and Even was surprised of how easy it had been, right away. While it had been new and exciting – like it always is when you meet a cute person at a party and get to talk to them –  there had been also something familiar. It felt like finding your favorite, most comfortable hoodie that you thought you lost. It has been lost for so long that you already forgot it existed, but when you find it again you get really excited and melt in its comfort again. That’s what it felt like to be around Isak, finding something you didn’t know you missed again.

After that night, they’ve been practically glued together, if not physically then through phone. They had exchanged numbers right after their first meeting and the conversation hasn’t ended for once after that. Every morning the first thing Even does is check his phone and see all the seventeen notifications from Isak. They have three conversations going on at the same time, they exchange stupid memes over Instagram, pointless selfies with the silliest filters on Snapchat and just an on going ramble about their days and daily life on iMessage.

There’s no denying how much Isak has affected Even’s life. And he knows he has too – helped Isak. They were both kind of lost that night, Even maybe a little bit more so, but Isak was too, he had told Even about it later.

It was when they’ve known each other for maybe a month. They’d been in Isak’s room at kollektivet, just laying in bed side by side, chilling and smoking. Even had started talking about how cool it is that he doesn’t live under his parents’ eyes anymore, because it means there’s no one to nag him about smoking and he can go wherever he wants. It was supposed to be kind of a joke but Isak had gone quiet after that. Even reached to bump his nose with the back of his hand.

“What is it?” he had asked and Isak told him. About a mother who was there but really wasn’t, about a father who left and the guilt he carried for leaving, too. Even had stubbed the joint they had been sharing and took Isak’s hand in his own and squeezed it.

“It’s not your fault,” he had told him. Isak had let out the breath he was holding and nodded.

But what was so amazing about Isak, among ten thousand other things, was that while he had the impact to make Even feel so much it made his chest feel tight and brain full of emotions he couldn’t name, Isak was also his escape. He had the ability of making Even laugh his ass off and god Even _loved_ making Isak laugh too. In fact, it was his goal every day: to make Isak laugh. And sometimes he took it to desperate levels.

On Valentine’s Day they decided to have their first sleepover in terms of “hey we’re both sad and single so why not watch sad as fuck movies and eat a shit ton of junk food”, so they did. And they both ended up sobbing their eyes out to _The Fault In Our Stars_ which, definitely, neither of them saw happening.

“Oh my god that was so sad, what the fuck?!” Isak said while swiping the tears off his cheek. Even reached for his bedside table to grab some tissues and offered them to Isak. Even felt bad for the poor boy, his eyes were all red and swollen and his cheek were still wet. “I’m being ridiculous,” Isak continued.

“I’m sorry,” Even said, because he was. Maybe the point was to watch the saddest romantic movies they could come up with, so they wouldn’t feel jealous of the love everyone else but them seemed to have, but he never wanted to make Isak _cry_.

“It’s fine, I’m fine. And you cried too,” Isak said pointing out Even’s flushed cheeks and puffy eyes. And before Even could say anything, Isak let out a little laugh. “Gosh, we’re both dorks, aren’t we?”

Even smiled. “Maybe a little bit, but at least we’re not dorks alone,” Even said and Isak smiled back at him, looking into his eyes. “Yeah, we aren’t.”

And because Even in fact was a dork, he pulled off his most ridiculous grimace his face could make, out of nowhere. He stuck his tongue out and squinted his eyes while wiggling his eyebrows and Isak’s face was surprised for a half a second before he burst into a loud laugh and Even held his face as long as he could before joining Isak’s laugh. They laughed until breathing became hard and their cheek hurt. And while Even watched Isak laugh from the bottom of his stomach he may have fallen in love right there and then, a little bit.

Since that first sleepover, sleepovers kind of became a thing for them. Almost every weekend they spent the night either at kollektivet or at Even’s. And suddenly Even noticed that Isak had become a person who he thought first of in the morning and last in the evening, before letting his eyes shut completely and fall asleep.

The further their friendship developed, the harder Even found hiding his feelings was. But Even had to be careful with this, because he had ruined things before and more than anything in the world he just wanted to keep Isak near him. By the time of spring, there started to be more friendly touches, longer hugs and longer gazes, more compliments, more flirty comments. Even’s life was steadier than it had been in years and he was happier than he had ever been before.

Even snaps out of his thoughts when he hears a knock on the front door. He is currently sitting by his desk, trying to add the finishing touches to Isak’s gift but once again got lost in his thoughts while thinking of Isak. He knows it’s Isak, they had agreed to hang out tonight and exchange gifts before Even leaves the town for Christmas tomorrow. He’ll be gone for the whole week and he won’t see Isak until New Year’s. That’s probably the longest time they’ve gone without seeing each other after the day they met.

Even gets up and walks to the door, excitement buzzing in his guts. He opens the door and, oh wow yeah – there he is. Isak. His cheeks are flushed from the frost and he looks unfairly adorable and handsome at the same time, golden curls peeking under his beanie and bright green eyes sparkling. How could Even ever deserve someone like him?

“Hi,” Isak greets and grins, he reaches his hand to brush the back of his hand with Even’s, a small gesture to make sure that he’s really here. Even looks at their hands, the soft, careful touch reminds him of the hot summer day when he couldn’t get out of bed and Isak was there for him for the whole week. He had ditched the boys and stayed inside with Even, curtains closed in the dark room. Isak had gotten worried because Even hadn’t answer his messages, so he had come to check on him, only to find him buried in blankets unable to communicate.

Isak had stayed, the whole time. He had curled up in bed behind Even, locked his knees behind Even’s and wrapped his arm around Even’s waist, pulling him closer. Even’s breath had hitched a little bit at that, because it was the first time Isak had cuddled him like that. “Is this okay?” Isak had asked and even had managed to nod slightly. Isak had held him tighter.

“I’m here,” Even had heard Isak whisper before drifting asleep. When he woke up, Isak was still there with a glass of water and frown between his eyebrows, looking more worried then he should’ve but once he noticed Even was awake again, he had put on his most convincing hopeful smile. In that moment, Even let himself believe that maybe Isak will always be there for him, maybe he even _wants_ to always be there for Even.

“What are you thinking?” Isak asks pulling Even out of his thoughts again. Even shakes his head, “Nothing, really, just thinking.”

“Yeah well I got that but what?” Isak claims and starts to play with Even’s fingers, oh boy.

Even shrugs his shoulders to seem carefree. “Us,” he said kind of matter of factly. Isak looks at him and squints his eyes, demanding something more specific.

“Well you know just that it has been almost a year since we met  and how it really doesn’t feel like it? I mean I feel like you’ve been there all my life.”

The expression in Isak's eyes turns into something fonder and he bursts into a wide smile, the one that makes the beautiful line of his lips standout and Even feels weak in front of it.

“Yeah,” Isak agrees and Even feels his chest tighten again, like it so often does around Isak.

He can’t deny that there haven’t been any hints of what Isak might feel for him and there’s no denying that those feelings are very similar to the ones Even has towards him. At this point he is pretty sure that even a blind  person could see that they definitely have feelings for each other. Even just can’t bring himself to say it aloud, believe it, he has tried. He has tried about hundred times during the past autumn, but he just can’t do it. He fucked up things majorly last time he did that and Even is not a risk taker, not really. And Isak and their friendship is something he wouldn’t ever want to risk.

They go to Even’s room, Isak sits down on the bed while Even picks up the drawing he had drawn for Isak. It doesn’t say _i love you_ because as established that was way too fucking terrifying, but it is something. He hands it to Isak who looks at it.

There’s he and Isak, a couple of weeks ago at the tram stop, once again letting the trams go by because they didn’t want to end the night and they both had to take different trams. It was cold as heck and of course Even hadn't looked at the forecast before he had rushed out that morning. So, he was wearing only his jean jacket and a hoodie, no mittens or a beanie or even a scarf. He was shaking.

“Fuck it’s so cold. I keep forgetting it’s already November,” he had said while desperately rubbing his hands together to keep them warm.

Instead of making fun of Even’s choice of clothing, Isak had taken his hands out off his pockets and grabbed Even’s hands into his own. He brought them to his face and blew warm breath over them. Even stood there surprised, not saying anything, just staring at Isak in awe.

“Better?” Isak had asked. Even had nodded. Isak hadn’t let go of his hands before they finally decided it’s time for both of them to head home.

Isak looks at the drawing quietly for what Even can swear is at least fifteen minutes but probably just one. Eventually Isak raises his gaze and looks Even directly in the eye.

“I love it,” he breathes out and Even holds his breath. _I love you_ answers the braver, more irresponsible part of him that doesn’t get to say it out loud. Even blushes a little before he whispers a quiet thank you.

They stay there for a minute or two, Isak glancing at the picture and Even glancing at Isak.

“What time is it?” Isak asks after some time has passed. Even reaches out for his phone and checks. “Ehh, almost twenty past nine, why?”

“We need to go,” Isak says and pulls Even off the bed with him. “To where?” he asks.

“To the rooftop,” Isak says as if Even should’ve known.

The rooftop of Even’s building is a place they’ve hung out a couple of times, because Isak loves to watch the sky and ramble about the universe and Even loves to listen to him. Also it’s a great place for smoking because no one really visits there and smoking by the windowsill can get boring after some time, even though they have done that a lot too.

The sky is clear, deep dark blue, almost black and the stars are out. It looks breathtaking, but Even’s eyes are locked to Isak who for some reason got a little nervous after they’ve climbed up here. He lets out a long breath which comes out looking like smoke because of the frost, it’s really cold hence the clear sky. Isak turns to Even.

“There’s supposed to be a meteor shower today, which means you might catch some shooting stars,” he explains. “So my gift for you is that you get to make a wish,” he continues.  _Is this boy even real?_ He can’t be.

Even stays starstruck and Isak looks up to the sky, squinting his eyes a little as if that’d make him catch the stars better. Finally Even looks up, too. They stay like that, standing next to each other and looking up to the sky for some minutes. There’s no shooting stars yet, but there’s stars. So much of them, it’s like the longer you stare the more you see them and you get that effect when you feel like you can _feel_ that the world is round.

And then it happens, he catches the first shooting star and it’s the first one he has seen in his life. It’s not as magical as they make it seem in fiction, but he definitely catches it. He turns to Isak only to see that he’s already looking at him.

“Did you catch it?” he asks, Even nods.

“So what did you wish for?”

“Aren’t you not supposed to say it loud? Unless you want it to not come true.”

Isak shrugs “I guess.”

“Did you make a wish?” Even wonders. Isak shakes his head.

“I don’t have anything to wish for,” he says, suddenly sounding a lot more serious. He looks into Even’s eyes again. And Even swears he can see it, the thoughts behind that gaze, he can hear them and he wants to yell _me too_ , but something inside him is stopping him. He needs to hear it first, from Isak. And when he’s looking back at Isak, he pleads _say it first_ silently.

“You know how I always talk about those parallel universes?” Isak starts. Even nods again, unable to speak.

“The thing is, for the majority of my life I’ve thought about all the possible universes. It has given me some kind of relief I guess, that maybe there’s an universe, where’s Isak whose life is more put-together, whose life doesn’t suck as much as mine does, who has all the opportunities and doesn’t feel insecure. Whose braver and–”

“But you are, all of those things, you’re so brave,” Even has to interrupt, because he truly thinks so. There’s no one braver or stronger than Isak.

Isak can’t help but roll his eyes a little at that. “Let me _finish_.”

“Okay, sorry, continue.”

“Anyway, yeah – I guess that thinking of all those possible universes has given me some kind of hope, that maybe those things are possible in this universe too, you know? And this year… I’ve felt like it’s maybe even more possible than I’ve thought and I think it’s because, I mean I know it’s because of you.”

“ _Isak_ …”

“And during the past year not once I’ve wanted to be in any other universe than this one. You’ve made this universe so much better for me,” Isak finally finishes and the last words come out with a long breath.

Even’s breath hitches. He’s speechless. This is it, what he has been wishing for, what he has been waiting for. His heart has never felt this big, it’s desperate to burst out of his chest. Isak is looking into his eyes, waiting. But because for the life of him, Even can’t find any words, so he does something he has been dreaming of doing since the moment he first looked at those cupid bow lips. He lets go of Isak’s hands and brings them to his cheeks. His hand caresses the blushed cheek and he stares deep into the bright green of Isak’s eyes before he leans in closer.

Isak’s lips meet him in the middle and then they’re kissing.

And honestly, who the fuck cares about shooting stars in the night sky when you can taste the stars down on earth, too?

When Isak’s tongue caresses Even’s bottom lip, Even swears his heart stops for a moment. Nothing could ever feel better than this, nothing will ever feel better than this.

Their lips pull apart for a moment, and they’re both trying to catch their breath. Even realizes that he still hasn’t said anything back to Isak. He keeps his hands on Isak's cheeks.

“My wish just became true,” he whispers because it’s true and Isak’s eyes widen before he melts into the widest grin and Even just has to kiss that smile.

It’s not a kiss, it’s smiles pressed together and Even feels like laughing because he is just so goddamn happy, so he does and Isak looks at him like he’s seeing the stars for the first time in his life. Even can relate to that.

Even starts to peck Isak’s lips while he is still laughing and Isak is fighting against the urge to roll his eyes again.

“Glad to know it worked then,” Isak says pleased under Even’s pecks and Even catches his lips against his again.

“Mhm, me too,” Even agrees between kisses. Isak’s hands move to his hair and Even moves his hands to lock them around Isak’s waist.

And under the dozens of shooting stars, they kiss and kiss and kiss while all of their wishes come true.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If falling in love with Isak had been the easiest thing Even had ever done in his life, so was falling into a relationship with him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello again! this is a little 'epilogue' to the first chapter that was meant to be the only chapter but then i wanted to write a little something for shola's birthday and this happened. it's basically just pure fluff, because i'm sappy like that.
> 
> it's not your birthday anymore, but once more: happy birthday shola, ily <3

If falling in love with Isak had been the easiest thing Even had ever done in his life, so was falling into a relationship with him.

After knowing each other for a little over a year and after dating for almost two months, Even is certain that he is more in love than he thought it was possible to be, as cliché or ‘disgusting’ – as Mikael or literally anyone of the boys would say (except maybe Yousef because let’s be real he is just as hopeless as Even) – it might sound.

Maybe pining after each other for so many months is what made it so easy. Nothing much changed after they started dating. They are still the same Isak and Even. They laugh at funny memes, they have movie nights that turn into weekend long sleepovers, they smoke together, they banter and flirt the same as they did before. They are there for each other. And the more days go by, the sillier it feels that Even was so afraid of starting this, _them_.

What did change though is the, _krhm,_ physical part of their relationship, the more NSFW stuff. And _oh boy_ Even just can’t imagine anything better than that (like seriously, if Isak is the master of about everything, he most definitely is the master of blowjobs, too). Even feels so grateful and in love every day that he is afraid he’ll burst because of it.

Even snaps out of his thoughts when Isak in his arms starts to wake up from his steady sleep. Even is fully aware how ridiculous this sounds, but honestly he might as well have an angel in his arms. Maybe he does, because sometimes it feels like Isak is actually out of this world.

“What are you grinning at so early in the morning?” Isak asks, voice rough from sleep as he glances at the alarm on the bedside table. It’s not even nine yet.

Even’s grin widens. “Nothing much,” he answers.

Isak squints his eyes doubtingly but leaves it as that. He is fully aware of how ridiculous the love-drunk thoughts of his boyfriend can be. Not that he could ever comment on it, because everyone knows what has been drunk-Isak’s favorite topic during the past year or so.

Isak rests his head on Even’s chest again and snuggles a little closer. Even’s arms tighten around him.

“What do we wanna do today?” Even asks after some time. Isak ponders for a second.

“We could go for a walk; it’s supposed to be sunny today. Or just stay in, order food, watch movies. Or go to the cinema, didn’t you say there was a premiere of some movie you wanted to see this weekend? I’m fine with anything,” he rambles and now Even’s grin is so wide you could count his teeth.

“Oh really? You’d even go to the cinema with me? Let me pick the movie? _Or for a walk?_ Since when are you enjoying to take a walk just for the sake of it?” Even asks teasingly.

Isak rolls his eyes and then shrugs. “I just want to be with you.”

If it were possible for humans to literally _melt_ from love and affection, this would be the point where Even would do so. Isak’s ability to be the grumpiest yet the sweetest boy in the whole wide world just keeps amazing Even.

He stays starstuck for a moment before he can answer and before he does he holds Isak a little tighter again.

“I’m fine with anything, too” he then just says. Isak fights against the urge to roll his eyes again.

“No I said that, you can’t say that too.”

“Oh that’s how it goes? You don’t have to decide because you said it first?”

“No, you _get to_ decide, because I’m so nice and said I’m fine with anything.”

“Mhm, sure,” Even teases and then presses a kiss on top of Isak’s head. Isak quickly raises his head to catch Even’s lips with his own.

And that’s how they end up making out for an hour or so, because if there’s one thing they will never get tired of it’s the taste of each other’s lips. Even is pretty sure his body craves it more than water nowadays.

Eventually they do get out of bed, though. They shower, Isak makes them a bowl of cereals because neither of them are in the mood for putting any more effort into breakfast. They go back to bed and catch up on Grey’s Anatomy because they’re both hooked (Isak gets excited for the medical stuff and hot doctors, Even gets excited just for the hot doctors).

Later they end up taking a walk to the grocery store, stack up on tons of junk food and go back to kollektivet. When they get back, Eskild is setting up a movie night with Linn (or afternoon, since it’s not evening yet) and he asks them to join as well. Isak and Even set up snacks for everyone and then take over the other couch and Even snuggles into Isak.

They watch Notting Hill because none of them are in the mood for anything more serious and that’s a good go-to choice when you just want to watch something comfortable. Isak keeps questioning everything and making fun of the characters but that’s more for just making Even laugh rather than being serious. And Even does laugh, as he always does with Isak.

After the movie Isak and Even excuse themselves to Isak’s room and sooner rather than later they find themselves in bed, legs tangled together and breathing heavily between heated kisses. And if they end up doing a little more than that in the quiet safety of Isak’s room, no one has to know. For the sake of everyone, Isak has made it clear to his roommates not to bother them when the door of his room is fully closed.

As the sun sets, they’re still slowing down their breaths, lying in the same position as they did in the morning. The setting sun is coloring the sky in all shades of pink and purple.

Eventually Isak breaks the silence with a question: “Do you ever think about why we didn’t do this sooner?”

“Did what sooner? Had sex?”

Isak huffs and rolls his eyes. “No, or well, kind of. I meant get together. We both know that at the end all the pining was more obvious than not on both sides.”

Even burst out laughing and Isak looks at him in question.

“You asked me what I was thinking today when you woke up. I was thinking the same thing,” Even explains and smiles.

“Oh? Well, what do you think held us back?”

Even’s smile loosens and his voice breaks from honesty as he answers: “I was afraid,” he confesses. And unlike Even thought, Isak doesn’t question it. Instead his eyes are understanding as he looks into Even’s eyes.

“Yeah. Me too,” Isak finally breaths out and something in Even’s chest settles.

“I’m not anymore, though,” Isak adds.

“You’re not?”

“No. I think I have never been less afraid than I’m now.”

On some days, on days like this one, Even can say the same thing. He is not afraid. But there are still days when the fear haunts him, days when he doubts himself more than he believes in them. He does trust Isak, more than anyone, but he can’t always say the same thing about himself.

Today though, he isn’t afraid even the slightest bit, and that’s really what matters. They agreed to take it day by day and worrying about the days of doubt is pointless. So, Even answers as he truly feels, right in this minute:

“Me neither.”

Isak smiles softly before he presses a kiss to Even’s nose, then on his cheek and finally on his lips. When their lips part, Isak rests his head back on Even’s chest, snuggling closer. Even listens as Isak drifts to sleep.

Fear? Even doesn’t know her.

**Author's Note:**

> say hi to me or shoot me with ideas [on tumblr](http://evenskindness.tumblr.com/)  
> comments and kudos are very appreciated ❤️


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